Museum Provenance

In 1904 Charles Lang Freer acquired a London shipping magnate’s dining room (magnificently painted in brilliant blue-greens by American artist James McNeill Whistler) and moved it to his Detroit mansion. Upon completion of its reinstallation, Freer filled the shelves with more than 250 pots he had collected throughout Asia. Donated to the Smithsonian, and now restored to its 1908 appearance (including the Asian ceramics), The Peacock Room Comes to America (though spring 2013) is the first exhibition held in this Freer Gallery treasure in 20 years.

Every Smithsonian purchase will arrive with a museum provenance card explaining how it is adapted from or
inspired by an object or objects in our collection.

The paperweight wasn't as I had pictured it from the picture in the catalog. It just doesn't look as classy as I'd expected. It's OK, but I'm glad I didn't pay full price for it. The picture was a little worn around the edges and wasn't as rich and realistic as I'd imagined.

Vivid but tasteful, graceful, the proud peacock is the inspiration for my granddaughter's wedding celebration. This paperweight is small and welcome on a crowded desktop, it is a bright spot among dull paperwork.

This paperweight is really different, which is what attracted me to buy it for my sister, who has a collection of more traditional paperweights. I know she will love it for her birthday because it is unique and eye-catching. Comes in a lovely little box, easy to ship on to another location.